Before Our Hearts Decide
by ArankaTheGolden
Summary: just some late night rambling. It will be romantic. because I like romance. And I like imagery. I don't know the pairing yet. I"ll figure it out. T because I tend to have a potty mouth. Read on!
1. Chapter 1

Elphaba sat on top of the coach and let the wind whip her silken hair around her face. Rush Margins had long disappeared into the distance along with her old life. Nessa sat inside the coach with her father. Her fair skin needed protection from the sun and the breeze. Elphaba chose to sit atop the battered coach among the luggage and watch the sky. It did not matter if they called her weird for it this time, because she would never be coming back. She inhaled a breath of clean air through her nostrils and admired the miles upon miles of cornfields stretching out along the path in every direction except forward.

The sky was grey and lonely and it was early in the morning. The train station was lit by scattered lamps and the faint dawn light. Nessa sat in her chair next to the bench where Frexspar and Nanny sat. Frexspar was picking at the hems of his jacket and Nanny was snoring softly. Nessa was engrossed in some work of religious literature and could not be bothered. Elphaba sat at the edge of the platform on top of her only bag. Her hat was sliding off head, her braid had come loose, and her glasses rested precariously on the edge of her nose as she hunched over a dusty tome. Suddenly, the train whistle could be heard in the distance and Elphaba jumped off her suitcase and tucked her book under her arm. It wasn't until the train roared closer that her family, or whatever it was, roused themselves and began their goodbyes. Elphaba walked to the front of the platform in solitude and boarded the train to Shiz University without looking back.


	2. Chapter 2

Elphaba was whisked away to a private compartment before the excess paper from the conductor's punch could fall to the ground. She stood dumbly in the middle of the compartment for a moment before struggling to stow her battered suitcase in the luggage cabinet . She took out her dusty volume and began to look for her place, then decided against it. The train intimidated her. She had been raised a strict Unionist and had never left Rush Margins, except to stay with her grandfather, the Eminent Thropp, but he also ignored the technological advancements of Oz, at least those that did not involve weaponry. Elphaba unlaced her boots and cast them aside. They hid the side of the train with a soft thud. She looked outside the window of the train and watched the cars go by on the freeway next to the train. She had only ever heard of the Yellow Brick Highway, and she had never seen a car in real life. Well, she had seen them once or twice at the Governor's Mansion, but she was too young to remember. She slid out of her black stockings to reveal slender, verdant legs with strong, defined muscles, and pointed knees. She laid back on one of the seats against the compartment's cold metal door and stared vacantly out the window. She took the silken ribbon out of her hair and let it fall into her face.

She reflected on the reason why they had escorted her to a private compartment that her ticket could not afford. It was obviously because she was green. Oz bragged that it had eliminated racism. Bullshit. She pulled out a pen from her suitcase and began to write. It was all scribbling. Observations, the beginning of a research paper, her name. It was a strange sort of coping mechanism for Elphaba. The rhythm of the pen scratching out her words on the train that evenly ran along its track soothed her.

She had discovered poetry in her fourth year of primary school. After Chapel, she ran outside the school's grounds and climbed into a tall apple tree. She pulled a ripe fruit off of one of its higher branches and watched the school from her perch. After 10 minutes, a pair of scholars visiting from central Munchkinland reclined under the tree's ample shade. Elphaba listened as they spoke to each other in rhyme. And she was hooked. She read all the religious poetry that her father had provided her with. He was reluctant at first, but he was an evangelist first and foremost. As she grew older, she delved into previously banned texts written by Animal authors and Ancient Ozian poets of the time before the Great Drought.

Walking out of the lavatory, Elphaba came upon a discarded magazine. She had never seen nor read one before. She rolled it up, shoved it under her arm and sped back to her compartment. Once she was in her compartment, she flopped onto the seat and slowly turned the magazine over in her hands. She admired the shine of the pages and the bright colors. The few magazines that her father subscribed to were biannually published on newsprint with simple graphics, and comprised predominantly of the sermons of well regarded priests from the High Unionist Church in the Emerald City. This magazine was nothing like she had ever seen. There was a beautiful model on the front page and there were articles about fashion and beauty, as well as current events and best selling books. Elphaba was awestruck by the magazine. She read it cover to cover and back again. It was called _Ladies Quarterly, _ and Elphaba decided that the woman who wore the new silhouette and drank tea in swanky boutiques was a complete idiot, but people would accept her.

And then Elphaba was faced with another decision. Who would she be? As it turned out. She did not have to wait long to find out.


	3. Chapter 3

A few hours had passed and the sun had begun to set in streaks of red and orange. Elphaba had stretched out on her seat and was beginning to doze off when someone began banging on the door of her compartment. She lazily unlatched the door without looking at who was standing outside. The door slid open and hit the frame with a thud. Something glittery flew in, and Elphaba yawned, stretched languidly, unfazed, then went up to close the door.

It was already very dark outside. When Elphaba turned on the light, the visitor shrieked. Elphaba rolled her eyes to herself and refrained from turning around. She waited for a moment, and faced her visitor. She was a girl about her age, and she was a blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty. Her cheeks were flushed with exertion, and her makeup was slightly smudged. Elphaba had never seen someone who dressed so richly, much less someone with blond hair. "Don't worry," Elphaba said quietly, "It's not contagious." The girl looked up at her for a moment, but didn't say anything. It was quiet for some time until Elphaba spoke again, "You know, I don't bite." She smiled faintly and threw her hair over her shoulder. The girl seemed to relax some and sat on one of the berths.

"I'm Galinda Upland, of the Upper Uplands, and of the Arduenna Clan. I am traveling to Shiz, where I will be taking my first year of classes in the fall." Elphaba nodded at this, but did not offer her hand. The Arduennas were an influential family, and the last thing she wanted was to upset one of them.

" Pleased to make you acquaintance, Miss Galinda. I'm Elphaba Thropp, of Munchkinland. I, too, am headed for Shiz for my freshman year. But you are very far from the Upper Uplands then if you're traveling on this train." Galinda bristled a little at the inquiry. Accustomed to small talk, she was unfamiliar to such straightforward conversation.

"My father was in Quadling Country and Munchkinland on a business trip for the past month. My mother and I joined him three weeks ago. They are still there." She averted her eyes. She felt that if she only glanced at Elphaba, she wouldn't stop staring. And that would be horribly unladylike.

"I grew up in Quadling Country, you know?" Galinda found her eyes lifting upward.

"Is that why you're…?" Galinda knew she didn't need to finish the sentence. Elphaba shook her head, letting her hair fall in her face again.

"That would make explaining things much easier though, wouldn't it? As to _this," _Elphaba pulled away her ebony curtain of hair, "Your guess is as good as mine. Now why did you come flying into my compartment a moment ago?" Galinda exhaled,

"It is generally a bad idea for young ladies to travel unescorted, but my Ama is still in Frottica."

"…And?" Elphaba crossed her arms and let her hair fall in her face.

"And I'm traveling alone, like you. When one of the attendants brought me dinner, he tried to get more than just a few coins as a tip." Galinda looked at her shoes and crossed her legs a little tighter. Elphaba knew this type of behavior existed, but she was nonetheless shocked by it. Grudgingly, Elphaba replied,

"Would you feel safer if you moved your things in here?" _Oh no, that was far too forward of me_, Elphaba fretted to herself. "I, well, I mean, we're both headed to Shiz, so it does make some sense." She nervously threw her hair over her shoulder.

Galinda bit her lip and thought it over. Sure, this girl was really weird looking, but staying with her for the night would be much safer than staying alone. "Okay. Fine. Only for the night though." Elphaba nodded curtly.

"Only for the night." Elphaba repeated, and gently tapped the edge of the seat with her foot. "Sleep here." She added curtly. Galinda nodded without looking up. Elphaba walked past her to pick up her boots, and to shove her stockings into them. She tucked the _Ladies Quarterly_ into her book and threw them aside. Galinda left the compartment to retrieve a blanket and to remove her makeup. During her absence, Elphaba slid up the table and made herself comfortable. Galinda returned, fresh faced, and flopped on the bench, which heaved in response. "Goodnight Miss Galinda."

"Fresh dreams, Miss Elphaba."


End file.
